My favorite thing about this book is Shanti Mohapi. She is a true queen. She spent her life going after her dream of being a queen despite every naysayer and road block. She knew exactly who she was and refused to be ashamed of it. When her dream came true and the people in power refused to allow her to fulfill her dreams of responsibility and change, she did it in every small way she could manage until she would be taken seriously. Shanti is a true queen of a character!

King Sanyu on the other hand is kind of a weak character, constantly afraid of doing the wrong thing. So much so that he lets his advisors run his country even when he thinks what they are doing is wrong or detrimental to the people. As he gets to know Shanti though, she encourages him to speak his mind and to stand up to his advisors and he tries to begin to change to power dynamic.

Shanti and Sanyu's romance in private is sweet, but Sanyu's habit of allowing his advisors to dictate everything (including their relationship) is really borderline abusive to Shanti (some advisors are flat out abusive). In public Shanti becomes little more than an annoyance to be tolerated which was at times infuriating.

Through it all though, Shanti's strength of character is an inspiration to witness making it well worth the read. (I should know, I've read it three times 😂)

Cole is my go-to writer for royal romance. I love how she incorporates so many different aspects into her books and this is no exception. Strong mental health rep and let’s save the world vibes.

I really enjoy Cole's alternate nations in this and the Reluctant Royals series. Great storyteller, interesting perspectives.

Another winner from @alyssacolelit!! Of course I immediately went out and purchased the next book in this series. Prepare to get hooked on these amazing, complex, HOT characters. I want this series to come to the screen!

Shanti Mohapi gets married to the king of Njaza in an arranged union. There's an undeniable attraction (thankfully), but plenty of obstacles to overcome on her path to becoming a beloved and effective queen.

King Sanyu is a bit of a reluctant king, but knows he has to fulfill the duty he was raised for. What he doesn't expect is to actually fall in love with his arranged bride.

Individually I loved both of the main characters, but I have to say I didn't really feel the chemistry or bond between them as a couple. I can't exactly put my finger on why though. That aside though, this was a great slow burn, with loads of obstacles and challenges to be dealt with, and plenty of growth (not only for the main characters). I'm definitely looking forward to the next one!

It took me quite awhile to get in to this book. Reading about that much manipulation and toxic masculinity that is so ingrained in a person was really had to listen to.

As much as I had a hard time connecting with the hero, I ended up loving the heroine. Her development took me a little time to really root for her to succeed, but once she won me over she WON ME OVER. While listening I kept having these YAS QUEEN moments--literally as it turns out, since she is, in fact, a queen.

I felt like her victory was hard won and deserved. But overall the chemistry between the hero and heroine was a little less emotionally involving. I wanted them together but more for HER success than for any driving need to see their happily ever after on it's own impetus.

So yes to the strong female lead. Eh to the hero and the romance plotline.

Once again, Alyssa Cole delivers a brilliant feminist romance full of steam, complex characters, and the allure of royalty. I loved how the idea of the arranged marriage between Shanti and Sanyu was handled, and watching them fall in love made my heart melt.

Wonderful. Absolutely wonderful. I’ve liked a lot of Alyssa Cole books in my time but this one is really something special. There’s a loneliness at the heart of her royal hero that really punched me in the gut this time around. I loved the history of the country, how it was hidden and had to be rediscovered by the people it rightly belonged to. I love how the politics work with the other heroes and heroines from past books, how it’s not always easy or simple to trust people (even if the reader knows they’re trustworthy and wonderful!). And the lineage of queens!

A glorious book that deserved a lot more attention than it received.

How to Catch a Queen is a good book for world building and as commentary on gender and social issues, but it didn't grab me as a romance,

This is the second book I have read by Alyssa and I love her writing style.
My expectation for this book wasn't high which is normally a good thing for me. I really liked Shanti and what she stood for. I love a good character building but I had a hard time believing the "love" between Sanyu and Shanti. I guess I was looking for more romance than politics.
Unfortunately this book did not work for me.

Overall, not my favorite Alyssa Cole book, but still worth a read! I found that the book had a relatively slower pace in the beginning, but it did eventually pick up (maybe just a little too late). I enjoyed the marriage of convenience trope (one of my absolute favorite tropes), but I think there could've been a little more heat/chemistry between Sanyu and Shanti.

I look forward to the next book in the series!

⭐⭐⭐ 1/2

Thank you for the review copy. I really loved the audiobook as it was a fun read. I am mentioning this book in a future podcast episode as an audiobook to pick up.

This was okay. I like it and I like this author. She always tells a great story. I think I would have like it more if I had been in a different mind set. So don’t let my review stop you from reading this book or any other book by this author!

Loved this book! Thank you for the opportunity to read and review this book. Looking forward to the next book in the series.

To Catch a Queen by Alyssa Cole is a romance novel that was not at all like I expected and I think it might be a new favorite romance! This book was not just a love story, but also involved mental health, misogyny and sexism within government, colonization, trauma, and more. Both of the main characters had so much depth and heart, and I found myself really caring for them and the country they are fighting for. The effects of colonization and how it’s carried by generations of people and loss of culture, is something that spoke to me. This is a contemporary set story, but I think if you tend to like books set in a kingdom with royalty (like in fantasy or historical) you might enjoy this book as well. It would be a good gateway into the romance genre.

I feel such warmth for these characters, and was sad to have to leave them by the end. However, I am very excited for the next book in the series, because I didn’t realize it follows someone who got a small part in this book. She was a really fun character, so I’m glad she will be expanded on. Anyways, read this book ASAP!

Another great story by one of the “queens” of romance!

I absolutely adore Alyssa Cole’s stories, especially her Reluctant Royals series. This first book in the Runaway Royals series was wonderful and I love how Shanti and Sanyu developed with each other and with the help of new friends. Overall, a wonderful tale of learning to trust, love, and make difficult choices to pursue happiness.

A fun and exciting entry in Alyssa Cole’s Runaway Royals series. I love that this is basically the redemption story for the woman who was supposed to be the bride in Coming to America. Funny, touching, and fiercely feminist. I loved it.

This entry in Alyssa Cole's Runaway Royals series has great lead-pair chemistry, a country with a shifting and evolving social landscape, and plenty of heat. Shanti's prepared to be a queen her whole life, but when she marries Sanyu of Njaza, she's a queen in name only. She's allowed into his bed, but not his heart. Their journey is by turns maddening, hopeful, and charming. This is an excellent read.

I always love Alyssa Cole's books. She creates such interesting characters. I liked the setting of this story and how the love unfolds between the main characters.

As I've come to expect from Alyssa Cole, How to Catch a Queen is an absolute delight. It's cute, fun, and highly upbeat. To some extent, based on certain plot points, I expected the tone of the book to shift to a darker tone (threats from within the palace walls, the mystery of what happened to the previous queens—essentially, political intrigue) but over time, the tone actually got lighter and more comedic. This occasionally created a bit of a disjointed feel, when expectations weren't just subverted but rather violently shoved aside to make room for something utterly unexpected.

Overall, a super fun read and a sweet romance.

I received a digital advance copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.